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W. L. BURTON. HEATING BY ELBGTRIGITY. No.. 432,932. Patented July 22, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

IVATKINS LEIGH BURTON, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, AS'SIGNOR TO THE BURTON ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

HEATING BY ELECTRICITY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 432,982, dated July 22, 1890.

Application filed December 23, 1889. Serial No. 334,733. (No model.)

.To all whom it' may concern.'

Be it known that I, VATKINS LEIGH BUR- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing of which the following is a specification, ref-- erence being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same, and in which- Figure I is a diagrammatic view of the simplest arrangement embodying` my invention, and Fig. II is a similar view showing my invention applied to a more extensive heating system. Fig. III is a modification.

In the present invention it is my object to rapidly develop a high temperaturein a heater and maintain the same for a long period of time for Warming an electric or other railway car, the same being accomplished by simply changing the current which supplies the translating devices, and also to provide a simple and effective arrangement ot' conductors and switches, which may be used in connection with the heaters described in my Patent, No. 357,572, granted February l5, 1887, for effecting the change in current.

My invention consists in supplying a very strong current to each heater until the same becomes very hot and then supplying a reduced constant current to all the heaters, which will be sufficient to maintain the temperature developed for a long time, so that the temperature of the heaters remains nearly constant. This is done by locating the desired number of heaters, preferably constru cted according to my patent above named, on a number of branch conductors, and so arranging switches that these heaters may be connected in multiple arc with the line for developing in each the desired temperature in a short time and then thrown in series to reduce the current but maintain the heat; The iirst arrangement is such that the reduced resistance will'permit the passage of a very stron current from the line, andthe secy ond arrangement is such as will greatly reduce the current by the increased resistance, so that thc first connection being only continued for a very short time-say twenty min utes-and the latter connection consuming but little current, the result aimed at will be attained in a very economical manner.

In the drawings, L represents the supplyline conductor, and G two ground or returnline connections.

l, 2, and 3 are respectively the conductors for making the line and ground connections.

et, 5, 6, and 7 are the branch conductors, which are connected in series, and each of which contains, preferably, but not necessarily, two heating devices H, which may consist of resistance devices embedded in pulverulent fire-clay or other refractory material which cntains its heat for a considerable length of time.

S represents a switch located at a point intermediate of the two sets of heating devices, and adapted to be moved upon a contactplate l0 for making connection with the conductor 2,which communicates with the ground through the wheels or other means.

9 is a switch similarto 8, and this is adapted to be moved upon a contact-plate Il or a plate l2, the former of which is connected to the supply-wirel and the latter to the returnwire 3, which latter may make ground-connection as does the conductor 2.

The above-described arrangement will operate in the following manner for carrying out my invention: The switch 9 being on theplate ll and the switch 8 open there will be no current. Upon closing the switch 8 the heaters will be joined in multiple arc and will each receive a very strong current from the line and be rapidly heated to a high temperature. The switch 8 being then opened and 9 being moved on 12,the heaters will be connected with the line in series and the increased resistance will cause a reduced current to pass, which, however, will be sufficient to keep up the temperature of the heaters foi-along time, owing to the slow :rate at which the heaters cool. This is found to be very economical in practice. f About twenty minutes is sufficient to fully develop the required heat in the devices, and after this it is found that three ampres are sufficient to maintain the heat for a long time.

In the system illustrated in Fig. II, which IOO differs from Fig. I only in the interpolation of the branches 6 7 with the switches 13 14, the same principle is employed to operate a larger number of heaters. By this arrangement one, two, three, or all of the sets of heaters maybe connected either in series or abreast. The switch 13 has the contact-plate 15 and the switch 14C has the contact-plates 16 and 17, said switches corresponding exactly in this respect with the switches 8 and 9.

rrepresents a resistance, which may or may not be used in connection with the system. In place of this resistance it maybe desirable to insert a cut-off switch in the circuit from the trolley or line.

/Vhen the heaters in Fig. II are to be heated, the switches 9 and 14 are placed on the plates in the supply-conductor and the switches 8 and 13 are closed, which connects all in multiple. After the requisite heat has been developed the switches 8, 13, and 14 are all opened and the switch 9 placed on the contact-plate 1l in the ground-wire 3, when it will be seen that all the heaters will be connectedv in series with the circuit closed. -If it is desired to utilize only two of the sets of heaters-for instance, the sets et and -the switches 9 and 13 are opened and the said sets can be utilized precisely in the manner set forth with regard to Fig. I.

In Fig. III is shown an arrangement in a train of two cars, in which the individual heaters, instead of a series of two heaters, are connected so as to be thrown in multiple arc and in series. The principle is the same as set forth in the description of Figs. I and II. A switch 20 or 2l may be employed to break the circuit without disturbing the several heaterswitches. It is obvious that with this arrangement one or any number of the heaters may be used at a time. It will also appear that other sets of the heaters can be used in combination, if desired, and I desire it to be understood that my invention does not consistonlyin the arrangements shown,but in the method of heating, consisting of first charging the heaters by a strong current and then maintaining the heat by a reduced current.

When I refer to an electric heater in thc specification and claims, I mean a practical electrical heating device which has sufficient bulk constituting, surrounding, or adjacent to the heat-developing resistance so that it will not cool immediately, but will give off its heat gradually, so that the loss can be replaced by the heat developed by the low current.v

Having thus described my invention and the manner in which it is carried out, what I claim is- 1. The herein-described method of heating by electricity, which consists in reducing the resistance inthe heating-circuit and rapidly developing heat by supplying a strong current of electricity to the heat developing and retaining devices and then increasing the resistance in the heating-circuit, whereby the current is reduced for the purpose of maintaining the heat during an extended period economically, as explained.

2. The herein-described method of heating by electricity, which consists in first'connecting the heaters with the line in multiple are, whereby each receives a full current for rapidly developing a high temperature, and then connecting the heaters in series, whereby the current is reduced for maintaining a nearlyconstant temperature, as herein explained.

3. In an electric-heating system, the combination of the line, two or more branches containing heating devices provided with a heat-retaining medium, and switches adapted to connect the branches in multiple are with the line for rapidly developing a high temperature and in series with said line for increasing the resistance and reducing the current in maintaining a constant temperature economically, as fully set forth.

4. In a system of electric heating, the combination, with the line, of the heating devices, electrical connections joining the heaters in series, independent electrical connections between thc respective heaters and the supply and return conductors, and switches located in all the connections, whereby any number of heaters may be joined in Series or multiple arc, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a system of electric heating, the combination, with the supply-line and the return conductors, of the sets of electricallyccnnected heaters connected in series, and switches adapted to connect the sets ot' heaters with the return-conductor at points intermediate of the adjacent sets, alternate ones of said switches being also adapted to connect with thc supply-conductor, hereinbefore explained.

WM. P. DE SAUssnUE, Guo. J. Roenns.

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